Grain washing and drying machine



' 1 ,624,831 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 DQGEDDES HING AND DRYING Fil ed Nov. 24, 1925 I April 12, 1927.

April 12 1 927,

D. G EDDES GRAIN wasame AND DRYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 24. 1925 2 sheet -sheet 2 iNVENTOR .Dayd Gems.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS 2 fis required and expended irrespective of the 11,Lrespectively.

Parental"A r. 1'2,;-i927. I I I UNITED-STATES-'PATENT};QFHCEQ.

navm saunas, or cumm mms a, ena'm'wasnme nature a a 3 Applicatlonflled liovemberfi, 1.885, Serial Io. 71,229.

This invention relates. to an improvement." F i re 4 is a view in horizontal section on Y in 1 ainwashing and drying machmesthe line 4-4 of Figure 3, and 5e ne-of the principal objects of the inven-. Figure 5 is a group view in perspective tion is to provide a machine of'this characshowm' the collector, lower supporting a ter wherein the grainli thoroughly washed spider or theouter drum and also a portion scoured, lished, aerated, tempered, cleane 4 of the outer. drum.

and drie so as to be properly conditioned Referring. to the drawings wherein for 00 and prepared for milling purposes without the sake of illustration is shown one embodibreaking the grain. I ment' of the invention, it will be seen that l0 Another important object is to provide a the machine comprisesa suitablesupporting machine of this character wherein the, grain frame" made up of a plurality of legs 1. se-

may be treated to effect the results stated for cured to the base or foundation and to the a period of time dependent upon its condiupper ends of which the lower ends of posts tion and pro erties, and wherein theamount or uprights 2 are secured. The framework of wheat fee per unit of time automatically is completed by means of an upper. spider 3, regulates and controls the time of treatment. alower spider 4 and an intermediate ring 5 Another important object is to provide a all .of which are securely fastened to the up- 7 machine having these advantages and capa'o rights. The spiders 3 and 4 have hubs 6 and 2 ities and wherein the same amount of power 7, radial arms 8 and 9 and outer rings 10 and character or degree of the treatment to which The rings 10, 11 and 5 are suitably sethe grain. is subjected, thefcapacity of the cured to the uprights 2, the outer peripheries 7 machine being the only varying factor. of these rings being engaged with the up- Another object is to provide a machine of ri hts. A receiving drum 12 is fitted in and 2 this character in which all smut, wild onion, suitably secured to-the rings 10 and 5, and

dirtand the like are carried out of'the-grain a slotted or foraminous drum 13 of frustoduring, and by virtueoof the operation, efconical." form is fitted in and suitably se- 80 fecting the tempering and conditioning of cured to the rin s 5 and 11-; The lower end the grain, a of'the drum 13 is suitably notched, as at 13 an A furtherobjectresides in the provision (see Fig. 5) to accommodate the arms '9 of of a machine having these/advantages and the spider 4. I I 4 5 capacities and which is of simple and .dura- A hatt 15 is *rotatably mounted in 'bears5 ble construction, reliable and eflicient in op ings provided therefor in the hubs 6 and 7 'er'ation, economical inthe consum tion of of the spiders and on this shaft and Within power, .and' easy and "comparative y'j inexthe foraminous drum 13, a rotating drum, pensive to manufacture. Q i 1 I designated generally at 16, is mounted and Other objects and advantages; reside: in secured. I The drum-16is' somewhat smaller so certain, novel features" ofi -theziconstruction,' than, thoughsimilar in form to, thedrumlfiarrangement and combination of parts which so that between the drums 1'13eand 16; a -grain- 4Q will be hereinafter more fully described and treating space S is defined.

Figure 11s a erspectiveview;

, discharge valve,

particularly. pointed out in the appended The drum 16, is made up of a plurality of claims, reference being had to the accomsimilar. sections ,18, each, section 18 having 1): panying drawings forming-a part of this imperforate marginalframing bars 19 and a, 's-peci'fication,*. and in .which: slotted body plate. 20. The plate 20 and y showing a bars .19 arepreferably integral and on the machine embodying the invention, outside of'the'bo'dy plate 20 a plurality of Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view in parallel and downwardly inclined vanes 21 we perspective showing the rotating drum and .filfe in g a y form d, the v nes 21 overt, the automatic operating mechanism for the hanging the slots, As shown,one such vane 3 I 21 is provided foreach circumferential row Figure 3* is a view ther'eofin diametrical of slots 22 and each vane extends from just vertical section, parts being shown-in elevaabove its slots 22outwardly and downwardly 10.5

tionfor the sake of illustration, w a toa point alined with or just below the bot- I tom walls of its slots 22. The sections and with the hub and terminating at its pethe vanes thereof are curved so that when the'sections are assembled they and their vanes are of circular cross section. For the purpose of securing the sections in assembly apertured lugs'23 are formed in the sections 7 and in the assembly lugs 23 of adjacent sec tions 18 are alined and co-act with bolts and nuts 24. I

The lower end of the drum is mounted on and driven from the shaft by means of a spider designated generally at 25 and having' a hub 26 fixed to the .shaft 15, radially extending arms 27 integral with the hub and a peripheral ring 28 carried by the arms 27 and fitting with, and bolted to the lowerend of the drum 16.-

The upper end of the drum 16 is mounted on and driven from as well as closed b an end plate or closure 29 having a hub 30 xe'd to the shaft 15 and an outwardly-and downwardly' extending body portion 31 integral riphery in a. depending annular flange'32 fittin in the upper end of and bolted to the rum 16. The upper outwardly and "downwardly sloping face ofthe body portion of the end late or closure 29.xnay 'have a series of radia ly' extending ribs 33.

Means is rovided for drawing air axially upwardly t rou h the open lower end ofv the drum 16 an forcing l the same radially outward thereof, and suc means preferably com rises a plurality of fans designated gen- .eral y at 35' and mounted on and driven by theshaft 15 within the drum- 16. Eachfan has ahub 36 from which radial arms 37. extend, fan blades38 being carried by the arms"37. The fan blades are shaped and formed to draw air= upwartfly through the open; lower end of the drum 16 and expel the same radially outward through the slots of the drum across the. space S and out. through the slots of the drum 13.

' A collector 40 isprovid d at the lower end oft-he drum 13 forreceiving the grain as the same {falls down from the space S. The

collector is shaped so as to present a sloping wall; down to ajcentraldischarge opening 41. inlet tubes 42' lead upthrou h the collector 40 to convey the air into. t e inl terior of the; drum 16 without permitting the-same to interfere with the descending grain in thecollector'. casing 43 entirely encloses the collectorexcept for that portion of the collector in which the discharge open -ing"41 is formed, Ksuch portionof the collector projecting slightly downwardly-below the casing. The casing 43 byyirtue; of'its assembly with the collector is entirelyclosed exce t-foran air inletpipe 44. As shown in igure 3, the air inlet tubes 42 are in direct and open communication with the interior of the casing 43 so that the air may be drawn directly intothe 'drum- 16. The

casing 43 and collector'40 are supported in position by means of bolts 43 extending through bolt holes provided therefor in these parts andin a collector holder ring"40 and threaded into the ring-11 of s ider 4.

A discharge valve 45' regu ates the dis 1 charge of grain from the opening 41. The valve 45 is fixed on a stem 46 slidably fitted ina guide 47. whereby the'valve is constrained to partake of proper movements. Automatic means is provided for opening and closing. the valve 45 and comprises ascrew' 50 splined on the shaft 15, as at 50, that is, the screw is constrained to partake of the rotary movement of the shaft 211-,

though freely movable longitudinally there of. The screw 50-operates in the receiving drum 12 and, due to the rotation-imparted thereto by the shaft 15 and to its action on the grain in the drum .12, will rise to the top of level of the grain in the drum 12.,

Motion transmission means is provided between the screw 50 and the valve 45 and comprises an upper lever 51 slidably fulcrumed at 52 on one of the uprights 2 and having ayoke'53 on one end equipped with a gimbal ring 53 engaging an annular groove 54 formed in the hub 55 of the screw 50. The other end of the lever 51 is pivotally fastened to oneend of a connecting rod 56, the opposite end of the connecting rod 56 An annular drain or drip pan 80 is provided for receiving the water separated from the grain and trickling down on the outside of the drum 13. The pan 80 is provided,

with a discharge isc ipe 82 leading to any suitable point of arge.

- In operation the wheat or grain and water is I spouted or otherwise suitably conveyed into the receiving drum 12 from whence it falls by gravitation through the grain treating' space S between the drums'1'35and 16 into the collector 40. In'the collector 40 the 7 grain slides. down onto the discharge valve 45'which' at this time closes the discharge opening 41. lThe'g'rain gradually fills up the collector and the" grain treating space 5 (awall'of grziinbeing built up in the space S)? and its level gradually rises inthe drum 12 until .it, reaches the rotating screw 50.

The screwf50 is rotated at a rapid rate,

usually 500 R; P; M.,' and it"levels oil the grain and as the level'of the grain rises in the drum 12, the screw 50 is forced upwardly on the shaft 15 as a result ofits I until a balance is. reached"-. between the rotation and coi-actionof its blades with the grainn 'llhe upward movementof :the

screw; is.;.transmitted,to the valve 45 means of} the motion transmission means includingjthe lever- 51, .connecting rod 56.-

and lever-57 in such manner as to open the valve 45 when thescrew 50 moves upwardly along the shaft 15 as it does when the level of the grain inthe drum 12 rises in the manner stated. The opening. of the discharge. valve =45 allows the grain toflow amount of grain going into the drum 12 and the amount of grain flowing out through the discharge opening 41. The-d1scharge of the grain is always steady and any change in the rate ofdischarge is slow and gradual by reason of the fact that the ratio of -movement betweenthe screw ,50 and valve 45 is ten to one and because of the capacity of the drum 12 is so much greater than the area of the outlet. 41. The steady discharge and the slow and gradual change of the rate of discharge'is an important feature since it maintains at all times a solid wall of grain, between the drums 13 and 16, thereby preventingthe formation of open spaces in the grain treating space S through which the aircurrent may escape withoutserving any purpose and also.pre-

venting uneven treatment of the grain due to the difference in travelling velocity of the wetgrain and dry grain or to the adherence ofwet the grain is sub ected to the same washing,

polishing and aerating action.

As the drum. 16 is rotated rapidly the grain and water which falls on to the vanes 21 is thrown outwardly off of the vanes21 and against the inner periphery of the drum 13 thereby forming a thin wall ofgrain between the drums which is less compact around the outer edge of each vane 21 than elsewhere since the grain falls by gravity from the point where it is thrown off of one vane downfonto the next vane. During movement on each vane. is subjected to the.

action of the air currentand centrifugal force as well as to the scouring action of the flatsurfaces of the vanes for the proper or desirable length of time. And along with the advantageous action there can be no broken wheat as there are no beaters or sharp projections to rufile the outside coat grainto the drum 16. .All,

ing of the grain. At thispoint it is to be noted that *while the vanes 21 are shown as having fiat or smooth top surfaces, such to surfaces may be ribbed or roughened without danger. of injuring. the grain. It will now be understood that vduring its passage through themachine the grain is uniformly washed, scoured, polished, tempered, cleaned and dried.

There are many kinds of wheat,'hard and soft, clean and dirty and wheats that will absorb more moisture than others butthe present inventlon furnishes a machine that is controlled by time pluscapacity for washing, drying and cleaning wheat, that the operator may have full control over the process, regardless of the quality, with little waste, little expense for repairs and with little expenditure of power for the amount of wheat treated. As illustrating this feature assume that the screw 50 and discharge valve 45 have reached their working or balanced position, that the machine is holding ten bushels of wheat and is taking in and discharging at the rate of 30 bushels per hour. Under such conditions each bushel of wheat discharged is taking two minutes of time or twenty minutes .for the ten. bushels, so the result is that the last of the ten bushels to enter themachine would take twenty minutes before itwas discharged 1 through dischargevopening' 41 and all this time it would be under the cleaning action of the machine. So on thisbasis, if the grain does not require so much cleaning, the capacity is raised to 60 bushels per houror one bushel per minute, the cleaning time would be ten minutes; if bushels per hour, five minutes and so on. As the amount of wheat contained in the machine, regardless of the capacity being cleaned, is practically always at the same level in the receiv- 4 driving the machine is practically always the same, the amount of powerfconsumed in aunit of time is governed by the amount of cleaning the wheat may require. The capacity isregulated by the cleaning re-- quired on the wheat and this is automatically of time, being fed into the receiving drum 12. As the wall of the drum- 13 is tapered the water and dirt forced through the perforation in its walls cannot return to the inside on account'of'the continual air pressure, andtherefore drops into the pan 8,0 where it is carried off through the drain pipe 82. -The air supplied through the air inlet pipe'44 can be brought from any suit- K able place, if much water is used on the wheat, cold air canbe used, if more thorough drying is required and little water used or ifa second machine is used, hot air c an be r used.

'ing drum 12, the consumption of power for,

controlled by the amount-of wheat per unit Animportant feature .of this machine is,

that the washing, cleaning, etc.," is automatically controlled to clean grain in a unit of time .with practically the same amount of power, whether bushels per hour is going through or 60 bushels without breaking the the 30 bushels per hour would naturally take more minutes per bushel than a feed of 60 bushelsaper hour. In this respect the power used-would be more per bushel of grain on .proyectmg .intoa grain treating space deaccount of time. But the actual power required to rotate drum 16 and other rotating parts would always be the same, as these parts are moving the same weight or body of grain at all times, one grain displacing the other. I claim -1. .In a. machine of the character described,

an outer stationary foraminous drum, an

inner rotating drum having perforations and havingirigid annular vanes fixed thereto and overlying the perforations and projecting into a grain treating space defined by said drums, means forrotating the inner drum,

and means for causing a current of air to pass into the inner drum and laterally of around the periphery of the-rotating drum the drums and across the grain treating space.

2. In amachineof the character described,- an outer stationary foraminous drum, an inner rotating drum having a-closure at its topfand also having perforations in its periphery, rigid annular vanes extending and overlying the perforations and project- -=ing into a grain treating space defined by said drums, means'for rotating the inner drum, means for causing a current of air to traverse the grain treating space, a re -ceiving 'drum surmounting the stationary- .drum, a collector for receiving the grain from the grain treating space and'having a discharge opening, a discharge valve regulating the flow of grain through the opening, and means cqntrolled by the level of the grain in the receiving drum for governing valve. I

3. In a machine of the character described, an outer stationary foraminous drum, an inthe opening and closing of the discharge ner rotating drum having perforations and' having rlgid' annular'vanes overlying the perforations and projecting into a grain 't-reatingspace defined by sai d drum,-means for rotating the inner drum, means for causing a current of air to traverse the grain treating space, a receiving drum surinountingthe' stationary drum, a collector for receivingthe grain from the grain treating. space ;and having a single discharge pen ng'a discharge valve 'cooperable with the discharge opemngto completely close the same and shut off the flow of grain and also cooperable therewith to regulate the discharge therethrough,- and means controlled by the level of the rain in the receiving drum for governing t e opening and closing of the discharge valve, and comprising a screw rotating in the grain in the receiving drum and motion transmission means be tween the screw and the valve.

4.' In a machine of the character described, an outer stationary foraminous drum, an inner rotating drum having perforations and having vanes overlying the perforations and having vanes overlying theperforations'and projecting into a grain treating space defined by said drums, means for rotating the inner drum,-means for causing a current of air to traverse-the grain treating space," and a drip pan fixed to and encircling the outer drum for collecting the moisture.

6. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a stationary perforated drum mounted on the frame, a receiver surmount- .ing the stationary drum, a shaft extending axially of the-receiver and drum, a rotatable perforated drum mounted on the shaft within the stationary drum, said rotatable drum having its lower end'open and having an outwardly and downwardly sloping closure at its upper end, said drums defining a grain treating spaceto which the end closure slopes, means for rotatingthe inner drum, and means for causing a current of air to traverse the drums and the grain treating space.

. 7 In a machine of the character described, a frame, a stationary perforated drum mounted on the'frame, a receiver surmount in the stationary drum, a shaft extending axially of the receiver and drum, a rotatable perforated drum mounted on the shaft within the stationary drum, said rotatable drum having its lower and open and having anoutwardly and downwardly slop ng closure at its u per end, said end closure having radial ri s, said drums defining a grain treat ing space to .which the end closure slopes, means for rotating. the inner drum, and

means for causing a current ofair to traverse the drums and the grain treatn-g space. I

8. In 'a'machine ofthe cha 'actcr described,

a frame, a stationary perforated drum.

mounted on the frame, a receiver surmounting the stationary drum, a shaft extending axially of the receiver and drum, a rotatable perforated drum mounted on the shaft within the stationary drum, said rotatable drum having its lower end open and having an outwardly and downwardl sloping closure at its upper end, downwar ly and outward ly inclined circumferential vanes fixed on the inner drum and overlying the openings thereof, said drums defining a grain treating .space to which the end closure slopes, means for rotating the inner drum, and means for causing a current of airto traverse the drums and the grain treating space. Y I

9. In a machine of the character described, means for treating and conditioning the grain including inner and outer drums de-. lining a grain-receiving space between them, the. inner of said drums being rotatable, means for. rotating said inner drum, means I for causing a current of air to traverse the discharge opening, and automatic mechanism controlled by the level of the grain m the receiver for regulating the opening and closing of the. valve. a

10. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a stationary perforated drum mounted on the frame, a receiver surmounting the stationary drum, a shaft extending axially of the receiver and drum, a rotatable perforated drum mounted on the shaft within the stationary drum, a closure for the upper end of the rotatable drum, said drums defining a grain treatingfspace into which the receiver'feeds, means for'rotating the inner rotating drums, means for causing a current of air to traverse the drums and the grain treating space, a collector receiving the grain as it falls from the grain treating 7 space and having a discharge opening, a valve controlling the flow through the dis charge opening, and automatic mechanism controlled by the level of the grain in the receiver for regulatingthe opening and closing of the valve and'comprising a screw splined to the shaft within the receiver and rotating in the grain of the receiver andmotion'transmission means between the screw and the valve.

[DAVID .GEDDES. 

